Tigist Assefa Sets World Record in Women's Race Too
The London Marathon delivered a landmark day for the sport, with world records in both the men's and women's races turning the event into a showcase of elite speed.
In the men's race, Sebastian Sawe covered the full 42.195㎞ (26.22 mi) in 1:59:30 to claim victory. He sliced more than a minute off the previous world record, becoming the first runner to officially break the two-hour barrier in a sanctioned marathon. The prior mark was 2:00:35, set by Kelvin Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
The top finishers all posted extraordinary times. Yomif Kejelcha finished second in 1:59:41, making him the second man to go sub-2, while Jacob Kiplimo ran 2:00:28—also faster than the former world record—to take third.
The race unfolded at a blistering pace from the start. The lead pack passed 5㎞ (3.11 mi) in 14:14, and Sawe reached the halfway point in 1:00:29 while maintaining a steady tempo. A tight battle for the lead continued to 30㎞ (18.64 mi) before Sawe and Kejelcha broke away. With about 1.7㎞ (1.06 mi) left, Sawe kicked and opened the decisive gap, sealing a historic finish.
The women's race produced a world record as well. Tigist Assefa crossed the line in 2:15:41, trimming nine seconds off the time she set at the same race last year to reclaim the title.
World Athletics records women's marathon results separately for mixed races and women-only races because male pacemakers can materially affect finishing times. For context, the mixed-race world record is 2:09:56, set by Ruth Chepngetich at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.
At this year's London Marathon, Helen Obiri was second in 2:15:53 and Joyciline Jepkosgei was third in 2:15:55.
